Moving to Ireland and HIV
Em Português: Mudando-se para a Irlanda e o HIV
En Español: Mudarse a Irlanda y el VIH
COVID-19 Travel Information: Before you travel, check out the latest Government Advisory in operation for all travel to and from Ireland.
If you are living with HIV and are moving to Ireland for the first time, or returning to live in Ireland, you will need to make contact with an HIV clinic to ensure your HIV medical care and treatment is not interrupted.
HIV medication and care is available free of charge in Ireland under the public health system. Your legal status does not affect this (e.g. refugees or asylum seekers), and you do not need to receive your diagnosis in Ireland to access treatment for free.
It is advisable to contact your chosen HIV clinic before you arrive in Ireland, or as soon as you arrive in Ireland. Public HIV clinics are located within hospitals in Ireland. Depending on where you will be living in Ireland you can choose from the following:
| County | Hospital Name and Location | HIV Clinic Name | Contact details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin (South) | St. James’s Hospital
James’s Street | The GUIDE Clinic – Hospital 5 | www.guideclinic.ie Tel: (0)1 416 2315 or (0)1 416 2316 |
| Dublin (South) | St. Vincent’s University Hospital
Elm Park | Department of Infectious Diseases, 1st Floor, Clinical Services Building | Tel: (0)1 221 3363
Email: idnursereferrals@svuh.ie |
| Dublin (North) | The Mater Hospital
Eccles Street | Infectious Diseases, Clinic 6, Level 1, Whitty Wing | Tel: (0)1 803 2063 |
| Dublin (North) | Beaumont Hospital
Beaumont Road | Infectious Diseases Clinic, Ground Floor, St. John’s Ward | Tel: (0)1 809 3006 or (0)1 809 2211 |
| Galway | Galway University Hospital
Newcastle Road | Infectious Diseases Clinic | Tel: (0)91 525 200 |
| Cork | Cork University Hospital
Wilton | Infectious Diseases Clinic | Tel: (0)21 492 2795 |
| Limerick | University Hospital Limerick
St. Nessan’s Road | Department of Infectious Diseases | Tel: (0)61 482 382 |
HIV clinic staff will need official medical documents from your current HIV clinic, doctor, or consultant with the following information:
- details of your HIV positive diagnosis (including the date of the diagnosis).
- a list of your current (and any previous) HIV medications.
- the results of your last 3 blood tests (CD4 counts and Viral Load tests), if possible.
- records of any vaccines for influenza, pneumonia, or hepatitis A and/or B. If you have ever had a baseline chest x-ray or skin test for Tuberculosis (TB), that would also be helpful for the clinic staff to know.
It will be helpful to the HIV clinic if you can get the documents translated into English.
We advise you to bring at least 8 weeks supply of your HIV medications with you when moving to Ireland. This is to ensure you have enough medication while you wait for an appointment at the HIV clinic. You can travel with your HIV medication; there should be no problem bringing your medication into Ireland.
If you lose your HIV medication, or if you cannot bring your HIV medication with you for any reason, contact your chosen HIV clinic immediately on your arrival.
More information and support
If you have further questions or need any HIV-related supports, please contact our Community Support team.
Gay and bisexual men can contact our MPOWER Programme outreach team.
You can get more information about Living with HIV in Ireland in our Self-Help Guide.